Pwovèb 4
1 Tande, O fis yo, enstriksyon a yon papa, e fè atansyon pou ou kab reyisi jwenn bon konprann,
Listen, sons, to the discipline of a father, and pay attention, so that you may know prudence.
2 Paske mwen bay ou bon konsèy; pa abandone enstriksyon mwen.
I will bestow upon you a good gift. Do not relinquish my law.
3 Lè m te yon jenn timoun ak papa m, byen jenn e sèl fis devan zye a manman m,
For I, too, was the son of my father, tender and an only son in the sight of my mother.
4 Alò, li te enstwi mwen e te di mwen: “Kite kè ou kenbe fèm a pawòl mwen; kenbe lòd mwen yo pou ou viv.
And he taught me, and he also said: “Let your heart accept my words. Keep my precepts, and you shall live.
5 Vin ranmase sajès! Ranmase bon konprann! Pa bliye, ni pa vire kite pawòl a bouch mwen yo.
Obtain wisdom, obtain prudence. May you neither forget, nor turn away from, the words of my mouth.
6 Pa abandone li e li va pwoteje ou; renmen li e li va veye sou ou.
Do not send her away, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will preserve you.
7 Men sa ki kòmansman sajès la: Ranmase sajès! Epi avèk sa ou rasanble a, chache bon konprann.
The beginning of wisdom is to obtain wisdom, and, with all that you possess, to acquire prudence.
8 Mete valè li wo e li va fè ou leve; li va bay ou onè si ou anbrase l.
Grasp her, and she will exalt you. You will be glorified by her, when you have embraced her.
9 Li va poze sou tèt ou yon kouwòn lagras; li va prezante ou avèk yon kouwòn byen bèl.”
She will bestow upon your head an increase in graces, and she will protect you with a noble crown.
10 Tande, fis mwen an, vin dakò ak pawòl mwen yo, e lane lavi ou yo va vin byen long.
Listen, my son, and accept my words, so that years of life may be multiplied for you.
11 Mwen te dirije ou nan chemen sajès la; mwen te kondwi ou nan pa ladwati yo.
I will demonstrate to you the way of wisdom. I will lead you along the paths of equity.
12 Lè ou mache, pa ou yo p ap jennen; epi si ou kouri, ou p ap glise tonbe.
When you have entered by these, your steps will not be constrained, and when running, you will have no obstacle.
13 Pran enstriksyon; pa lage menm. Pwoteje li paske li se lavi ou.
Take hold of discipline. Do not dismiss it. Guard it, for it is your life.
14 Pa antre nan chemen mechan yo, e pa avanse nan vwa malfektè yo.
Do not delight in the paths of the impious, nor permit the way of evil-doers to please you.
15 Evite li, pa pase kote li; vire kite li e ale byen lwen.
Take flight from it. Do not pass close to it. Turn away and abandon it.
16 Paske, yo p ap kab dòmi si yo pa fè mal; epi dòmi vin vòlè soti nan zye yo si yo pa fè lòt glise tonbe.
For they do not sleep, unless they have done evil. And their sleep is quickly taken away from them, unless they have overthrown.
17 Paske yo manje pen a malveyan yo e bwè diven vyolans.
They eat the bread of impiety, and they drink the wine of iniquity.
18 Men pa a moun dwat yo se tankou limyè granmmaten ki briye pi fò e pi fò jiskaske li vin fè jou nèt.
But the path of the just is like a shining light: it advances and increases, even to the day of completion.
19 Chemen mechan yo tankou tenèb; yo pa konnen sou kisa pou yo tonbe.
The way of the impious is darkened. They do not know where they may fall.
20 Fis mwen an, prete atansyon a pawòl mwen yo; panche zòrèy ou vè diskou mwen yo.
My son, pay attention to my sermons, and incline your ear to my eloquent words.
21 Pa kite yo vin disparèt devan zye ou; kenbe yo nan fon kè ou.
Let them not recede from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 Paske yo se lavi a sila ki jwenn yo, ak lasante a tout kò yo.
For they are life to those who find them and health to all that is flesh.
23 Veye sou kè ou ak tout dilijans; paske de li, sous lavi yo koule.
Preserve your heart with all watchfulness, for life proceeds from this.
24 Mete lwen de ou yon bouch manti e mete tout pawòl foub byen lwen ou.
Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
25 Kite zye ou gade tou dwat devan e kite vizyon ou konsantre devan nèt.
Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids precede your steps.
26 Veye wout pye ou konn pran e tout chemen ou yo va byen etabli.
Direct the path of your feet, and all your ways shall be secure.
27 Pa vire ni adwat ni agoch; fè pye ou vire kite mal.
Turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left; yet turn your foot away from evil. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right, and truly, those that are on the left are perverse. But he himself will make your courses straight. Then your journey will advance in peace.
